Die ontwikkeling, stand en toekoms van Afrikaans in SWA/Namibië
Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine
• whether the UNIN's accusation that the community of SWA/Namibia is forced to speak Afrikaans by the South African government is true; • whether the stigmatisation of Afrikaans has already had any influence on the position of the language in SWA/Namibia; and • what can be done to prevent or slow down the possible
deterioration of Afrikaans in SWA/Namibia.
The problem was addressed as follows:
Firstly, the history of the Afrikaans community in SWA/Namibia was researched. By means of historical research, the following central Issue was investigated: Afrikaans was brought to SWA/Namibla by the Oorlams and was the prestige language long before whites came to the country. According to statistics it is clear that a form of Afrikaans was brought to SWA/Namibia at the beginning of the 19th century and that the language was used in higher functions long before the South African government came into power in the 20th century. Afrikaans is therefore an indigenous language chosen by the community in the south of SWA/Namibia and was raised to the status of lingua franca and prestige language. The history of the Afrikaans speakers in SWA/Namibia is described in Chapter 2. Secondly, it has been attempted to determine whether the earliest form of
Afrikaans in SWA/Namibia really was Afrikaans, and not Dutch. The methods
followed were those of dialectology and historical linguistics. Data collection, processing and interpretation were done. Data collection entailed the search for archival texts. Data processing was done by comparing the language usage of the texts with standard forms and non-standard varieties of Dutch and Afrikaans. The central theoretical hypothesis Investigated was that
all though the Oorlams's written language was Dutch, their spoken language was closer to Afrikaans than to Dutch. A description of the characteristics of the early varieties of Afrikaans, as found in the text, is given in Chapter 3. AI all levels of analytic research, it Is clear that the Oorlams's language was
closer 10 Afrikaans than to Dutch, and that II should in all probability be Interpreted as a sub-variety of Orange River Afrikaans. Therefore, this variety of Afrikaans can be referred to as Oorlam-Afrikaans. Thirdly, the present position of languages in SWA/Namibia was researched and II was attempted to determine whether, and in what respect, the position of the language has changed since the 19th century. The following central theoretical hypothesis was investigated; at present the position of Afrikaans Is stronger than ever, and stronger than that of any other language spoken in
SWA/Namibia, but this position can deteriorale as a result of especially political stigmatisation. Data concerning the present position of languages in SWA/Namibia were mainly drawn from reports of research on the present position of languages in SWA/Namibia by the HSRC and the UNIN. Seeing that no verifiable facts exist on the position of languages in the 19th century,
conclusions were drawn from information given on the position of Afrikaans in Chapter 2. Data on the present position of Afrikaans were then compared with the conclusions drawn on the position of the language in the 19th century The position of Afrikaans in SWA/Namibia is discussed in Chapter 4. It is clear from the research done that Afrikaans is at present the lingua franca of the community and that it is also the language used by most speakers in all functions. Afrikaans has developed tremendously since the 19th century. Negative propaganda, however, Can cause that the preference for Afrikaans may continue to decline. Stigmalisation poses a very real threat 10 the
existence of Afrikaans in SWA/Namibia. This possible deterioration can only be prevented by language planning. Language planning cannot be done without a framework in which an argument can be conducted. Up to now, various descriptions and discussions of aspects of language planning have been researched. However, because this is not
sufficient for thorough and scientific planning, a framework for language planning is given in Chapter 5. In the view of conclusions reached concerning the history of Afrikaans speakers and the position of languages in SWA/Namibia, the following
recommendations were made for the planning of Afrikaans In SWA/Namlbta In
Chapter 6, according to the above-mentioned framework. 1. linguists must continue with the modernisation of Afrikaans. 2. Language planners with linguistic training must be appointed to do language planning for SWA/Namibia and to specifically formulate a language policy. 3. Afrikaans must maintain its official status in SWA/Namibia, at least In the southern area of the country. 4. Should Afrikaans lose its official status and higher functions in
SWA/Namibia as a result of legislation, attempts must be made to restore Afrikaans to its original position by planned means of
effecting awareness of Afrikaans in the community. 5. The stigmatisation of Afrikaans must be prevented through
planned means of effecting awareness,
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